How to avoid business dealings with NUTS!?! - Page 1

Hey Guys, This is a serious question! What do you guys do to avoid selling puppies or anything else to NUT JOBS? What do you do for a screening process? How do you weed out the bad apples? Vickie

You can't it's part of the business.

PowerHaus, I disagree with lee. I think you can avoid selling to people who are off center. But it is a long and involved discussion. One way is to be a bit older and been around the block a few times. I have a 6th sense about people that serves me very well. Bottom line is, you must be able to see beyond the money. Period. If you cannot, there is a good chance that at some point you will be involved with someone who is a little whacko. That being said, all too many breeders are not terribly ethical either and that does cause legitimate problems. I am always astounded that despite complaint after complaint posted here about certain people, that then people go to them to buy dogs and/or pups. I am always astounded that supposedly "experienced" and "ethical" breeder/importers sell dogs without a written contract. I am always astounded that anyone would take someone's money, and at the first sign of trouble, not immediate refund that money and step away. I could go on, but I won't. It is simply too depressing.

Very well put Hodie.

PowerHaus, I can only offer that I insist on meeting in person every single interested party. We do not ship. and for that I have taken a beating here before and probably will again now, But oh well, Point is we have had nothing but excellent relationship with our puppy buyers, We have had 2 pups come back, one when the couple purchased the pup they were not too busy and then 5 or 6 months down the road they both got promoted in they're jobs, they felt they were not doing her justice, So returned her. Another was a lady that shortly after she purchased her pup, Her xhubby began seeking custody of they're daughter, it's a nasty ongoing divorce issue, and she too returned her dog, My contracts don't cover personal issues, However... I have offered both individuals pups from future litter once they're lives have settled, and if it takes 10 years it takes 10 years so be it I will keep my word to them. I stand behind my NO ship policy, I have excellent relationships with every single buyer of pups and have litterally gained "true" friends from the whole experience with them. So I guess I would have to say, FACE to FACE is a good way of getting a feel for people and them for you I can say it's working so far and I have no intention of changing it. Hope that helps. :-)

Well put also ECHO

Give em a written application to fill out, called the "Nut Test". Use questions to determine the sick, the lame, the lazy and the Crazy.

I have a 4 page PUPPY APPLICATION page, that I require ANY and ALL potential families to fill out before they are even allowed to put down a deposit. I also have a strict "NO SHIPPING" rule, so every family has to come meet me, in person. When I first designed my application, about 4 years ago, I felt funny about turning people down, but now, if I suspect any "funny business" I tell them to look else where. The families that buy from me are asked to send updates on their babies, and I get beautiful letters, pictures, and phone calls about every 6 months or so. I tell people before they put money down, "You aren't buying a puppy, you are buying one of MY family members, so that makes us family, from the second you leave the gate until the day the dog dies, you and I are family" The clients seem to appreciate the concern and caring, and are happy to keep in touch, and take the "FAMILY" part serious.

bluesky, You and I have much in commin in this feeling of My Babies. :-) I love it !!

I tried it all over the years, home visits, puppy applications, written contracts, you name it. I still got back about 25% of the puppies I bred. The only sure way to avoid it is to do what I did, stop breeding period LOL.